Sunday December 5, 2010

Japanese Surprise and This Week in Travel

This Week in Travel Goodie Guide

Later today, I’m a guest on “This Week in Travel”, a popular podcast that’s all about exactly what you think it’s about. Among other things, they asked me to prepare a few photography-related travel-goodies for the holiday season.

Here is the episode!

I have a more full list on the “Photography Gadgets” page, but here is a quick list of stuff for you or the awesome photo-geek in your life!

Fun Photography-related stuff I recommend:

  • Best Travel Conversation-starter - The Green Cube Everyone Asks Me About – Approx $7
    • This is a clear, greenish 3-D bubble level.  I use it almost all the time and people always ask me about it.  It’s useful and cool-lookin’.  Even better than a fish-tie.
  • Unique Inexpensive Lomography Cameras - Make truly “different” photos full of mystery and imperfections… believe it or not, this is a very nice way to look back on trips… check out The Oktomat 8-lens Camera or The Stylish 4-Lens Supersampler or the Lomo Holga Starter Kit
    • I found these in China and was really impressed.  There is something charming and wonderful about the sorts of photos these take… and they are fun!
  • Several iPhone cameras
    • Look… just go ahead and spend $20-$30 and get a load of ‘em!  Have fun playing with em all.
  • Nifty Photo Backup Solution – The HyperAlbum
    • This has a huge hard drive and a very nice screen for reviewing your work while having coffee and resting.
  • Best Battery Backup - The Sweet HyperMac Battery – around $199 and up
    • If you have an iPhone, iPad, or Mac laptop, chances are one or all three are always running out of batteries!  This is a fantastic extra battery that powers all three.  I keep one in my bag all the time.  More than handy!
  • Best Cord n’ little-crap Organizer - The Skooba!
    • My friend Scott bought me one of these and I love it.  I have so many dang cords in my bags nowadays… this is smart.


New Video Soon!

I’ve spent this weekend working on a new video to release that is the next chapter in the “Moments Between” video from below.  My current plan is to release it on Friday… so get ready!

Daily Photo – Lines of Tokyo

To go with the video theme of the day, here is a new photo in Tokyo.  This was taken near the Akihabara area, not too far from the subway station.

There is a kind of “sterile” feel to a lot of the modern, well-architected areas of Tokyo.  I don’t mind this non-organic sense sometimes, but it is not always comforting.  All of the lines, shapes, and angles make for some fun photography, though!

High Dynamic Range Photography

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See more photos from Japan, Nikon D3X, Tokyo, Travel

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  • http://www.lightasmagic.com Justin

    Looking forward to the new video!

  • casusan

    This is a cool shot – the pots are all lined up beautifully! We got bamboo forest from Japan for the office and love it – and want to know how the railings were made? Can’t wait to see the new ‘moments between’ video – loved the others!

  • http://kirantarun.com/lens Kiran

    Love this shot Trey! Never knew Tokyo city is so beautiful :)

  • http://www.vimeo.com/user2271738 Dana Epp

    Hey Trey,

    Nice work. I always enjoy what you produce, and learn so much. So perhaps I can return the favour with a tip for the next time you shoot video with an HDDSLR.

    The light flicker you see when on digital film is due to the fact that in Japan (and Europe) electricity for lights is normally around 50Hz. If you were to adjust your shutter to 1/50 to meet that (or be a multiple), you would find the flicker would go away. While in North America, since it runs at 60Hz, 1/60 works well.

    YMMV of course. And you may have been going for that effect. But if you want to eliminate that in the video shots, consider adjusting the shutter to compensate for the light flicker. It can really help.

  • http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrandybird/4688012425/ Andy Bird

    I agree some modern architecture can be quite uncomfortable and nauseating – i find myself feeling like that in places like contemporary airports when i’m there. However I do like modern architecture when It is close to or mixed in with something of older origin – such as your image of the London Museum. The contrast helps each element stand out more.

    Here’s one I took in London with a similar twist.

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrandybird/5036802245/

  • http://highrangeprints.com/ Alan

    I have just started with HDR after seeing some of the great photos you have, Trey. Nice work. I live in Tokyo so almost all the shots are of cityscape.
    http://highrangeprints.com/

    Which camera did you use for the video?

  • http://www.flickr.com/photos/edenbrackstone/5228355618/ Eden Brackstone

    Ah Trey… You keep adding places on my list to visit! Japan looks cooler than ever. Loving the videos by the way, that high speed camera sure is tempting! I went a little nuts today, so instead of putting holes in my wall out of pure frustration (errr… I may have done that too, whoops) I decided to spice together my first panorama:
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/edenbrackstone/5234426104/
    Next one will be HDR I recon, great fun!

  • Gail in Montana

    OK, Eden, I tried to post on flickr and just got the pink and blue dotes floating twice!! So I’ll post on Trey,s site, thanks for sharing, Trey ;-) . Very nice panarama of the scenery, I loved it.
    Now for Trey’s photo, great job, Trey, very nice capture of all the buildings, flower barrels along the wooden sideway!! Looks like an interesting place to visit. And the gadgets all look cool, if your a photo person, that is. But the green cube would make an interesting conversation piece. Thanks for sharing all!!! Have a wonderful Sunday, all. For some, it might be Monday already! :-)

  • http://www.stuckincustoms.com Stuck In Customs

    Thanks !

    Dana – yes — I figured this…. but that camera shoots at 300 FPS ! So I actually end up getting a lot of flicker — but, it’s kinda cool in a way. I don’t know too much about video, so happy to hear your thoughts on these things! :)

  • http://timetotakepictures.blogspot.com/ Keith

    I really like the contrast between the blue in the building and the gray sky.
    Here are some HDR’s I have taken recently. http://timetotakepictures.blogspot.com
    Looking forward to the video.

  • http://www.flickr.com/photos/matthewsphotography Matthew

    Hey Trey, do you know if the Hyper Mac would work on a PC? The company seems like the best and it would be awesome if they worked with non Mac stuff. Kindles, PC laptops,cell phones etc.

  • http://www.stuckincustoms.com Stuck In Customs

    I don’t think it does — but Jen today on This Week in Travel mentioned one for the PC — it should be in the show notes when it goes up

  • Simon Morris

    I like the symmetry of the planters, plus the decking and its texture… just needs a HUGE stainless BBQ with some tasty steaks sizzling away… Mmmmm ;-)

  • http://www.foggodyssey.com/ T-roy

    Hey Trey, some of the hyper links are messed up in the “Fun Photography-related stuff I recommend” section. I know the link for the HyperAlbum drive goes to the wrong website. Anyways, just an FYI…